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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — shares
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com